Difficult Decisions
by Bookworm0913
Summary: A one-shot, taking place in Crystal Tokyo, during the time period of Vault of Souls. Starring only eight characters, I promise!


**Disclaimer:** I do NOT own Sailor Moon or any of the canon characters. Drake, Sasha, J. J, and Carter are merely figments that have escaped from my imagination.

**Author's Note:** So, this is my attempt at a one-shot. Based on the characters you voted for, and a random selection of said winners, the following eight were chosen: Nephrite(Nate), Malachite(Mal), Zoicite(Zack), Serena, J. J., Sasha, Drake, and Carter. So, this could actually fit in between chapters two and four, possibly during chapter three, though it's actually taking place in Crystal Tokyo. Well, I'll let it explain itself.

Difficult Decisions

Drake, once Tuxedo Cerberus, Knight to Princess Serenity, now restored to his place as Hades, Cerberus General to King Endymion of Crystal Tokyo, paced before the doors to the Grand Throne room. How in the world was he supposed to explain this to his king? How was he supposed to tell him that the past as they knew it, was beginning to change, rapidly. Trista was doing all she could to keep Crystal Tokyo from vanishing, and he knew it was taking a toll on his wife.

"Drake? Is everything alright?" Neo-Queen Serenity drifted down the stairs, clinging to the arm of Nate.

The former Tuxedo Gryphon, known now as General Nephrite, once again, held a worried expression as he looked down at their queen. She hadn't been freed from her crystal coffin very long, and she was still quite weak, without the Silver Crystal to replenish her strength. Even though Endymion had insisted she remain in bed until the Silver Crystal could be returned, she frequently made the generals escort her around the palace. She knew she had to remain visible, to reassure the people after the disappearance of the Negamoon.

"Come on, Drake. You know you can tell any of us anything," added the general, carefully navigating the queen to a chair. "If something has happened, we need to know."

Taking a deep breath, Drake lowered himself into a chair opposite the queen. "Mal and Jason have vanished. Crystal Tokyo is in danger of vanishing completely, and Trista and I don't know why. She's using all of her power just to keep us from disappearing. She can't look back into the time stream to figure it out, but I'm having memories appear that weren't there before, memories of attending Jason's funeral, and Mal's. But I know they both survived. I saw Mitch, Mora, and Addie out in the training yards on my way here. Jenna was flying through the halls on those rollerblades of hers, even after all the times that Raye has yelled at her about it."

"Your Majesty, you know Endymion will be furious with you for being out and about!" Zoicite came running into the room.

The former Tuxedo Sphinx dropped down by the queen's side, worry in his green eyes.

"We have greater problems, Zack," she stated, softly. "I need you to check on J. J. I know you saw the others, Drake. J. J. is the one who worries me the most. He is the most powerful of Derek's protectors, and I won't let my son loose his guard as Darien once lost his. Not if I can help it."

The blonde man nodded, rising to his feet. He turned to walk through the door, freezing as it burst open.

"Daddy! We have a problem!"

A young girl with long grey-green hair came running in, sliding to a halt beside Drake's chair, her black trench coat billowing around her short black dress and knee-high black boots. Two other children followed her, both young boys with ebon-black hair. The younger of the two wore a black t-shirt and jeans, his dark purple eyes locked on the laces of his battered black sneakers.

It was the third child who drew their attention. Blue-violet eyes blazed as J. J. strode over, his hands in the pockets of his red jacket, over his white t-shirt and blue jeans. He hadn't even bothered throwing on a pair of shoes, standing in his socks as he looked around at those gathered in the hallway.

"J. J. was sitting before the fire, trying to meditate, when he saw something. He wouldn't say what it was, but he needed Carter and I to come with him, right away," explained Sasha, trying to catch her breath.

The adults turned to the oldest of Jedite's and Raye's children.

"Uncle Drake, can you find General Malachite's soul? I have a few questions for him. Dad's already answered what he could, through the Fire," stated the young teen.

Drake nodded, closing his eyes. The grey skull around his neck blazed as he called on his power, searching the underworld for the soul of General Malachite. He opened his eyes as a grey mist swirled into the room, brining with it the ghostly form of Mal.

"What's going on?" Mal demanded. "One minute I'm training Mitch and Mora and the next I'm walking through the underworld, with memories of Adonis killing me. I know very well he was dead long before I even came to Tokyo, so what's going on? Drake?"

The general of the underworld threw his hands up the air. "Why do you always assume I have all the answers? I don't!"

"I think I know," whispered Carter, speaking for the first time. "Dad looked really strange for a little bit, earlier today. He said something about the Vault having been opened. I don't know if anyone knows what that means."

"The Vault! The Vault of Souls!" Drake shouted, leaping to his feet. "I have to find Erebus. If the Vault ended up being opened too early, we could all be in real danger. He was supposed to be the only soul released into a second life, and only at the request of Endymion, with the power of his Golden Crystal."

Mal nodded. "But if it is opened, what are we supposed to do?"

"We go back in time," stated J. J. "It's as simple as that. Those of us who can battle the souls go back and reclaim them."

Neo-Queen Serenity looked at him. "And who is 'we'?"

"Derek's already back there, so I'd need to take the rest of the resurrected Last Guard. Mitch, Mora, Nick, Nita, and Zane. The Neo-Outers could probably handle things too," he looked over at Sasha, who nodded. "I figure Addie won't let herself be left out."

"It's more not who will go, but who won't," stated Carter.

Sasha nodded. "Mom can't hold Crystal Tokyo in place on her own. Especially if the Negamoon comes back. I could stay, send Hayden to handle Aunt Persephone."

"No. You go. I'll talk to Hayden. He'll stay and help your mother," declared Drake. "You're the only one who can handle Persephone. I know that."

"I'll stay. Hope can be trusted to rescue Dad," added Carter.

Serenity nodded. "And Jenna stays. She doesn't have enough control over her powers to accompany you. Sophie, Addie, and Hope all have better control than she does. The three of them may indeed go. Go get Grace and Jordan, Sasha. Carter, bring your sister. J. J., the reincarnated Last Guard. Drake, take the three who are staying to Trista. She can have them help her stabilize Crystal Tokyo."

* * *

Okay, so that's my first try at a one-shot, if you can really call it that. Now, onto Warriors of the Stars!


End file.
